Terry Kitchen, Ksenia Mack, Thea Hopkins

The concert features a set by each artist, followed by a round-robin song swap.

Somerville Songwriter Sessions at the Armory Cafe presents contemporary folk singer/songwriters in concert on the first Saturday of each month. The Armory Cafe features live music in an intimate setting, a menu featuring sandwiches, soups, desserts, and coffees, and plenty of free parking. Our 4/6 performers:

Named “one of New England’s best songwriters” by The Boston Globe, Terry Kitchen creates songs that are portraits of ordinary people and emotions, captured with extraordinary compassion, honesty, and humor. He’s been performing on folk stages across the country since the 1990s, releasing a dozen albums filled with literate musical storytelling, supple guitar playing, and distinctive, intimate vocals. His 2020 CD Next Time We Meet reached #5 on the national Folk-DJ album chart (with its single “Party on the Roof” reaching #4 on the song chart), and his songs have won the Mid-Atlantic and USA Song Contests and been runner-up in the John Lennon Song Contest. In the 1980s he was the leader of the groundbreaking Boston band Loose Ties, whose experiences he recounts in his novel Next Big Thing, called “a great debut novel” by The San Francisco Book Review. He also published a collection of short stories, Coping Mechanisms, in 2020—more on Terry at terrykitchen.com.

Boston-based singer/songwriter Ksenia Mack performs with a blend of fiery and sultry vocals while her unique style of guitar playing tells a deeper truth. A founding and current member of the Porch Party Mamas, Ksenia is continuing a performance career that spans decades. She is also a respected guitar teacher. More on Ksenia at kseniamack.com.

A member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe of Martha’s Vineyard, performing songwriter Thea Hopkins calls her music Red Roots Americana. The Washington Post describes Thea as a “standout”. She’s performed at clubs, concert halls, and festivals throughout North America and Britain and released a series of acclaimed CDs. Her new album is scheduled to be released in May 2024—more on Thea at theahopkins.com.